Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a hybrid drive control device.
German patent document DE 10 2006 033 930 A1 discloses a hybrid drive control device for a hybrid motor vehicle having a control and/or regulation unit having a hybrid operating module that is provided for predictively controlling and/or regulating at least a state of charge of an energy store as a function of at least one route parameter.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to reduction of fuel consumption of a hybrid motor vehicle which has the hybrid drive control device.
The invention is directed to a hybrid drive control device, in particular for a hybrid motor vehicle, having a control and/or regulation unit which has a hybrid operating module that is provided for predictively controlling and/or regulating at least a state of charge of an energy store as a function of at least one route parameter.
The control and/or regulation unit has at least one speed control operating module provided for predictively controlling and/or regulating a motor vehicle speed as a function of the at least one route parameter. The speed control operating module takes functional precedence over the hybrid operating module.
This allows us of kinetic energy for optimizing a control and/or regulation of a hybrid drive train of the hybrid motor vehicle so that effectiveness may be improved. Efficiency may thus be improved, thereby increasing a savings potential by the hybrid motor vehicle and thus making it possible to reduce fuel consumption of the hybrid motor vehicle which has the hybrid drive control device. In particular, a higher priority may be assigned to the speed control operating module compared to the hybrid operating module, so that the fuel consumption may be further reduced. A “hybrid drive control device” should be understood to mean a device provided for controlling and/or regulating a hybrid drive train of the hybrid motor vehicle. A “hybrid motor vehicle” should be understood to mean a motor vehicle having a hybrid drive unit having least one first drive machine and at least one second drive machine, wherein the at least one first drive machine and the at least one second drive machine, either individually or in combination, drive drive wheels, in particular at least one of the drive machines being designed as an engine-generator unit. An “energy store unit” should be understood to mean a unit provided for storing drive energy and for delivering the stored drive energy in order to drive at least one of the drive machines or the final drive elements, for example wheels. An “engine-generator unit” should be understood to mean an electric machine, such as an engine or a generator or a mechanical combination of both, which is able to deliver a positive mechanical drive force or a torque, and to act as an electrical generator at other times.
A “control and/or regulation unit” should be understood to mean a unit having at least one control device and/or one operating module. A “control device” should be understood to mean a unit having a processor unit and a memory unit, as well as an operating program that is stored in the memory unit. An “operating module” should be understood to mean a function and/or an operating program implemented in a separate unit and/or in a control device. In principle, the control and/or regulation unit may have multiple interconnected control devices and/or operating modules that are preferably provided for communicating with one another via a bus system, such as a CAN bus system. A “hybrid operating module” should be understood to mean an operating module that automatically sets a torque distribution between the first drive machine and the second drive machine, in particular to optimize a state of charge (SOC) of the energy store and/or fuel consumption. A “speed control operating module” should be understood to mean an operating module that automatically sets a transmission gear speed, preferably of an automatic transmission of the hybrid motor vehicle, and/or an overall required braking torque, in particular a hybrid braking torque, and/or a drive torque, in particular a hybrid drive torque, in order to optimize a motor vehicle speed in particular with regard to the fuel consumption. The term “optimize” should be understood to mean to adjust and/or set, for example with regard to efficiency, a component and/or a unit and/or a process and/or a property of the component and/or of the unit and/or of the process in the best possible way by means of at least one setting parameter. An “overall braking torque” should be understood to mean a sum of braking torques of all units that are provided for supplying a braking torque, such as drive machines, sustained-action brakes, service brakes, and/or similar units. A “hybrid braking torque” should be understood to mean a braking torque of one of the drive machines of the hybrid drive unit, in particular of a drive machine designed as an electric motor, which thus preferably recovers energy, such as recuperation. An “overall hybrid braking torque” should be understood to mean a sum of braking torques of the hybrid drive unit. A “hybrid drive torque” should be understood to mean a drive torque provided by the hybrid drive unit. A “route parameter” should be understood to mean a parameter describing a course, in particular a course of an altitude, preferably of an upcoming route, such as curves, slopes, and/or the like. The term “predictively” should be understood to mean as a function of future, upcoming route parameters. The term “takes functional precedence over” should be understood to mean that the speed control operating module has a higher priority than the hybrid operating module, and/or that an operating strategy of the speed control operating module is preferred over an operating strategy of the hybrid operating module. The term “provided” should be understood to mean specially programmed, designed, and/or equipped.
Furthermore, the speed control operating module and the hybrid operating module are communicatively connected with one another. A particularly advantageous dependency between the speed control operating module and the hybrid operating module may thus be achieved.
Additionally, the control and/or regulation unit can utilize kinetic energy by means of the speed control operating module. The kinetic energy may thus be utilized in a particularly simple manner in order to reduce fuel consumption. The term “utilizing kinetic energy by means of the speed control operating module” should be understood to mean that the kinetic energy is utilized via a change in the motor vehicle speed, the kinetic energy preferably being decreased and once again built up, and/or built up and once again decreased.
Moreover, the hybrid operating module can predictively control and/or regulate at least the state of charge of the energy store as a function of the speed control operating module. Particularly advantageous control and/or regulation of at least the state of charge of the energy store may be achieved in this way.
It is particularly advantageous when the control and/or regulation unit is provided for setting, prior to downhill travel, by means of the speed control operating module a hybrid drive torque that is provided for passively reducing the motor vehicle speed. The kinetic energy may thus be advantageously decreased so that a route, in particular having a positive slope and/or a flat distance, may be traversed in a fuel-saving manner. The term “downhill travel” should be understood to mean a distance having a negative slope and/or a position of a traveling hybrid motor vehicle which is situated between two local extreme values of the distance, a driving direction of the hybrid motor vehicle pointing from a local high point to a local low point. The term “prior to downhill travel” should be understood to mean that directly after an instantaneous distance range, a route range follows that has a negative slope or a larger value of a negative slope compared to the instantaneous distance range. The term “instantaneous distance range” should be understood to mean a distance range on which the hybrid motor vehicle is present at that moment. A “passive reduction” should be understood to mean that the motor vehicle speed is reduced due to the absence of an additional hybrid drive torque. An “additional hybrid drive torque” should be understood to mean a hybrid drive torque provided to compensate for at least one force acting opposite a driving direction of the hybrid motor vehicle during travel in order to keep a motor vehicle speed constant. In particular, this term should be understood to mean a difference between a hybrid drive torque that is set for an instantaneous motor vehicle speed and a hybrid drive torque that is required in order to continuously travel in a plane at the instantaneous motor vehicle speed. The force acting opposite a driving direction is preferably formed as a friction, an air resistance, a grade resistance force that occurs during uphill travel, and/or as similar forces or losses. The term “uphill travel” should be understood to mean a distance having a positive uphill slope and/or a position of a traveling hybrid motor vehicle that is situated between two local extreme values of the distance, a driving direction of the hybrid motor vehicle pointing from a local low point to a local high point. The term “hybrid drive torque provided for reducing the motor vehicle speed” should be understood to mean a hybrid drive torque which is greater than or equal to zero and which results in a reduction in the motor vehicle speed.
It is also advantageous when, during uphill travel, the control and/or regulation unit is designed to set by means of the speed control operating module a hybrid drive torque which is provided for passively reducing the motor vehicle speed. The kinetic energy may thus be decreased in a particularly advantageous manner for utilizing the savings potential.
It is also advantageous when the control and/or regulation unit is designed to set, during downhill travel, by means of the speed control operating module a braking torque which is provided for passively increasing the motor vehicle speed. The kinetic energy may thus be advantageously built up so that a negative slope of a distance may be traversed in a fuel-saving manner. The term “passive increase” should be understood to mean that the motor vehicle speed increases due to external circumstances, such as the grade resistance force in particular, without use of an additional hybrid drive torque. The term “braking torque which is provided for increasing the motor vehicle speed” should be understood to mean a braking torque which is greater than or equal to zero and which results in an increase in the motor vehicle speed.
In addition, a method is proposed for controlling and/or regulating a hybrid motor vehicle by means of a hybrid drive control device, in particular a hybrid drive control device according to the invention, which predictively controls and/or regulates at least a state of charge of an energy store as a function of at least one route parameter, the hybrid drive control device predictively controlling and/or regulating a motor vehicle speed as a function of the at least one route parameter. The hybrid drive control device preferentially controls and/or regulates the motor vehicle speed with regard to a control and/or regulation of at least the state of charge of the energy store. A method for controlling and/or regulating the hybrid motor vehicle may thus be provided by means of which efficiency and/or fuel savings of the hybrid motor vehicle may be improved.
In addition, for the method it is proposed that the hybrid drive control device predictively controls and/or regulates at least the state of charge of the energy store as a function of a control and/or regulation of the motor vehicle speed. The control and/or regulation of the state of charge and the control and/or regulation of the motor vehicle speed may thus be combined with one another in a particularly efficient and fuel-saving manner.
Further advantages result from the following description of the drawings. One exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings. The drawings, the description, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. Those skilled in the art will also advantageously consider the features individually and combine them into further meaningful combinations.